Method of applying labels



Dec. 31, 1963 G. EHLENBECK 3,116,193

, METH0D 0F APPLYING1-LABELS Filed Oct. 14, 1960 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

By 650 f'b/en c Wa -4km Dec. 31, 1963 G. EHLENBECK usmon 0F APPLYING LABELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 190

INVENTOR. Qeogd [blew/er? B Y WQZMM rray/yer United States Patent 3,116,193 METHQD 0F APPLYING LABELS Georg Ehlenbeclr, Buttgen, near Nears, Germany,

assignor to .iagenbergWerke Akt.-Ges., Dusseldorr", Germany Filed Oct. 14, 1%0, Ser. No. 62,658 6 (Ilaims. (Ci. l56--215) This invention relates to a method of applying labels.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved method of applying two labels to different diameter portions of a bottle being moved continuously in a rotary path in a manner such as to dispose the two labels in vertical alignment on the different diameter portions of the bottle.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the method of applying labels as hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specifition.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating the present method of applying labels as embodied in a rotary bottle labeling machine;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the rotary paths through which the neck label is carried for application to the neck portion of the bottle and illustrates the neck label being removed tangentially from one rotary path to be carried through a second rotary path tangential to the neck portion of the bottle;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a body label being removed tangentially from one rotary path to be carried through a second rotary path tangential to the body portion of the bottle;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder showing the laterally ofiset relationship of the upper and lower label carrying surfaces; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a bottle showing the upper and lower labels applied in vertical alignment.

In general the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a rotary type labeling machine having provision for applying a label to a container being moved continuously through a rotary path. :In the illustrated labeling machine the labels are transferred from a maga zine onto successive adhesively coated surfaces provided on a label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder whereby the adhesive is transferred to the label carried thereby. The label is then removed from its adhesively coated surface by a rotary label gripping and applying cylinder arranged tangentially with respect to the label carrying cylinder to transport the label, with its adhesive coated surface facing outwardly, through a rotary plane which is also tangential to the path of movement of the outer surface of the bottle being moved inta rotary path. In operation the bottles are moved in timed relation to the movement of the labels, and when the center line of a label arrives in radial alignment with the center line of a bottle and in tangential engagement with the outer surface thereof the grippers release the label to permit the same to adhere to the bottle and to be carried along therewith, The label is subsequently wiped and pressed around the curved surface of the bottle.

The above-described sequence of operation defines the "ice 2 method of applying a single label to a bottle wherein the rotary path of movement of the periphery of the label gripping and applying cylinder is tangential to the label carrying cylinder and also to the rotary path through which the outer surface of the bottle passes. It will be apparent that this fixed relationship of the label carrying and applying cylinders with respect to application of a label to one surface of a bottle, such as to the relatively large diameter body portion of a bottle, could not be used to apply a label to a smaller diameter surface of the bottle, such as the neck portion, without enlarging the diameter of the applying cylinder and also changing the diameter of the label carrying cylinder accordingly to effect application of the two labels in vertical alignment.

In accordance with the present invention this problem was solved in a manner such as to maintain the same diameter label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder and to also maintain the same diameter of the label gripping and applying cylinder for both labels by providing two label applying cylinders of the same diameter, one cylinder being tangential to the label carrying cylinder and the body portion of the bottle, and the other label applying cylinder being tangential to the label carrying cylinder and the neck portion of the bottle. This arrangement places the centers of the applying cylinders in nonconcentric relation and, as a result, in operation the center line of one label will arrive in tangential engagerent with its portion of the bottle at a different time than the center line of the second label will arrive in tangential engagement with its portion of the bottle. In other words, a radial line drawn through the center line of a bottle and the applying cylinder for the smaller diameter or neck portion would occur in advance of a radial line drawn through the bottle and the label applying cylinder for the body portion of the bottle. In order to compensate for such diiferences in time of arrivel, provision is made for laterally offsetting the center lines of the upper and lower labels and label carrying surfaces of the adhesive applying cylinder in an amount sufiicient to effect application of the labels at different times but in vertical alignment on the bottle.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, in the operation of the labeling machine illustrating the present method of applying a neck label to the upper portion of a bottle and a body label to the lower portion of the bottle with the center lines of the labels in vertical alignment, a supply of bottles do is delivered to the labeling machine from a bottle filling machine or other source of supply by a conveyer 12, and successive bottles are guided through a feed worm 14 to be delivered in equally spaced relation onto rotary supporting means which carry the bottles continuously through a rotary path indicated by the circular line 16.

An adhesive applying unit indicated at 18, which includes an adhesive applying roller 29, is arranged to apply adhesive onto circumferentially spaced upper and lower glue surfaces 22, 24 provided on a vertical rotating label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder 26. A pair of duplex label magazines 28, 30, each carrying a supply of neck labels 32 in the upper portion thereof and a supply of body labels 34 in the lower portion thereof, are arranged for movement into and out of engagement with alternate sets of upper and lower gl-ue surfaces 22, 2-4. In operation when a duplex label magazine is moved to present the neck and body labels against their respective upper and lower glue surfaces 22, 2d the endmost labels in the magazines adhere to the glue surfaces. In practice the label magazines are also arranged to rock with their endmost labels in tangential engagement with the continuously rotating label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder, and when the endmost labels are removed from their respective magazines and transferred to the glue surfaces 22, 24 the magazine is retracted to be rocked back to its initial position in readiness for a succeeding cycle of operation. Alternate operation of the duplex label magazines 22, 24 insures smooth operation at high speed. The labels picked up by the glue surfaces are thus provided with a film of adhesive and are carried through a rotary plane indicated by the circle 36. The upper and lower glue surfaces 22, 24 are of the same radius and rotate through the same vertical plane. Ho ever, the vertical center lines of the upper and lower labels being carried through the rotary plane 36 are offset laterally for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Successive individual labels 32, 34 are then peeled or stripped off their respective glue surfaces 22, 2 by individual upper and lower gripping and applying cylinders 38, 40, respectively, provided with circumferentially spaced grippers indicated at 42 which grip the leading edges of their labels and carry them in a circular path. As herein illustrated, the periphery of the upper gripping and applying cylinder 38 follows a circular path tangential to the upper glue surfaces 22 and to the rotary path of movement of the outer portion of the neck diameter of the bottle, and the periphery of the lower gripping and applying cylinder 46 follows a circular path tangential to the lower glue surfaces 24 and to the rotary path of movement of the outer portion of the body diameter of the bottle. All of the rotating elements travel continuously in timed relation to each other, and in operation 'when the center line of a label arrives in tangential engagement with its bottle surface the grippers release their respective labels to permit them to adhere to the bottle and to be carried along therewith. A blast of compressed air oc curring coincidentally with the label releasing and applying operation may be provided to assist in the application of the free ends of the labels to the bottles, and the labels are subsequently wiped and pressed onto their respective surfaces as will be hereinafter described. The label applying cylinders 38, 49 may be provided with resilient label applying pads 39, 41, respectively, as shown. It will be noted that the resilient pads 39, 41 which are normally of convex shape at their outer surfaces are compressed to assume a somewhat concave shape when engaged with their respective bottle surfaces as shown.

From the description thus far it will be seen that the provision of individual upper and lower label gripping and applying cylinders 38, 4t) of equal diameter and each tangential to their respective glue surfaces and to the neck and body portions, respectively, of the bottle results in a non-concentric relationship of the upper and lower label applying cylinders. Thus, a radial line, indicated at 46, drawn through the center line of a bottle and the center of the upper or neck label applying cylinder 38, occurs in advance of a radial line, indicated at 48, drawn through the center line of a bottle and the center of the lower or body label applying cylinder 4! As a result the vertical center line of the neck label 32 will arrive in tangential engagement with the neck portion of the bottle prior to arrival of the vertical center line of the body label 34 in tangential engagement with the body portion of the bottle.

In order to compensate for the different times of arrival of the center lines of the two labels into tangential engagement with their respective bottle surfaces the vertical center lines of the upper and lower labels carried by the glue surfaces 22, 24 of the label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder are ofiset laterally a distance such that when the upper and lower labels are individually removed from the label carrying and adhesive applying cylinder by the upper and lower gripping and applying cylinders and subsequently app-lied to their respective bottle surfaces, the center lines of the labels will be applied in vertical alignment on the bottle. It will be understood that the width or lateral dimensions of the upper and lower labels may vary and that the label grippers 42, which grip the leading edges of their respective labels, are adjusted and timed to present the center lines of their labels in radial alignment with their respective bottle surfaces.

In the operation of the machine the bottles being moved in a rotary path are held from rotation on their own axes during application of the labels, and thereafter successive bottles are rotated through on their own axes and advanced through a label wiping device which includes a pair of opposed stationary brushes 5t), 52 and which serve to brush the free ends of the labels against the bottles as the latter pass between the brushes. The bottles then pass between a pair of rotary brushes 54, 56 which serve to more firmly press the labels against the bottle surfaces. The labeled bottles are then released and are transferred from the rotary path back onto the conveyer 12 by a discharge spider 58 for delivery to an accumulating table or bottle packer.

From the above description it wvill be seen that in accordance with the present method of applying labels to different diameter portions of a bottle being moved in a rotary path the iadhesively coated neck and body labels are carried in a rotary plane with their vertical center lines offset laterally and are individually removed to be carried through different and non-concentric circular paths to be applied to the different diameter surfaces of the bottle at different times in accordance with the arrival of the vertical center lines of the different labels into radial alignment with their respective bottle surfaces and wherein the lateral offset of the vertical center lines of the labels being carried through said rotary plane is maintained in an amount such as to compensate for the different times of arrival of the center lines of the labels into radial alignment with their respective surfaces whereby to effect vertical alignment of the center lines of the labels on the neck and body portions of the bottle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a method of applying two labels in vertical alignment to the different diameter neck and body portions respectively of a bottle being moved in a rotary path and held from rotation on its own axis, the steps comprising: moving the two labels in a single rotary plane one above the other with the vertical center line of one label offset laterally with respect to the vertical center line of the other label; independently removing the labels tangentially from said rotary plane and rotating the different labels through non-concentric circular paths of equal diameter and in timed relation to movement of the bottle; maintaining one circular label path tangential to said rotary plane and the path of movement of the neck portion; maintaining the other circular label path tangential to said rotary plane and the path of movement of the body portion whereby the neck portion will arrive in tangential engagement with the center line of its label prior to the arrival of the body portion into tangential engagement with the center line of its label at the same station of operation; and maintaining the lateral offset of the vertical center lines of the labels moved through said rotary plane in an amount such as to compensate for the different times of arrival of the center lines of the two labels into tangential relationship with their respective neck and body portions whereby to apply the center lines of the different labels in vertical alignment on said bottle.

2. The method according to claim 1 wvherein the bottle and the labels are moved continuously through their respective paths and planes at the same peripheral speed.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the lea-d ing edges of the different labels are removed tangentially from said rotary plane and rotated through their respective circular paths in a sequence related to the width of the labels such as to present the center linesof the labels in tangential enga ement with the periphery of the neck and body portions respectively of the bottle being moved through said rotary path.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the bottle is held from rotation on its own aXis during the labeling operation, then rotated through 90 on its own axis, and then passed between label wiping elements to wipe the 5 labels against their respective surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,773,613 Weiss Dec. 11, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 726,373 Germany Apr. 30, 1943 1,082,053 France June 16, 1954 

1. IN A METHOD OF APPLYING TWO LABELS IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT TO THE DIFFERENT DIAMETER NECK AND BODY PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY OF A BOTTLE BEING MOVED IN A ROTARY PATH AND HELD FROM ROTATION ON ITGS OWN AXIS, THE STEPS COMPRISING: MOVING THE TWO LABELS IN A SINGLE ROTARY PLANE ONE ABOVE THE OTHER WITH THE VERTICAL CENTER LINE OF ONE LABLE OFFSET LATERALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE VERTICAL CENTER LINE OF THE OTHER LABEL; INDEPENDENTLY REMOVING THE LABELS TANGENTIALLY FROM SAID ROTARY PLANE AND ROTATING THE DIFFERENT LABELS THROUGH NON-CONCENTRIC CIRCULAR PATHS OF EQUAL DIAMETER AND IN TIMED RELATION TO MOVEMENT OF THE BOTTLE; MAINTAINING ONE CIRCULAR LABEL PATH TANGENTIAL TO SAID ROTARY PLANE AND THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE NECK PORTION; MAINTAINING THE OTHER CIRCULAR LABEL PATH TANGENTIALTO SAID ROTARY PLANE AND THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE BODY PORTION WHEREBY THE NECK PORTION WILL ARRIVE IN TANGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CENTER LINE OF ITS LABEL PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE BODY PORTION INTO TANGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CENTER LINE OF ITS LABEL AT THE SAME STATION OF OPERATION; AND MAINTAINING THE LATERAL OFFSET OF THE VERTICAL CENTER LINES OF THE LABELS MOVED THROUGH SAID ROTARY PLANE IN AN AMOUNT SUCH AS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DIFFERENT TIMES OF ARRIVAL OF THE CENTER LINES OF THE TWO LABELS INTO TANGENTIAL REALTIONSHIP WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE NECK AND BODY PORTIONS WHEREBY TO APPLY THE CENTER LINES OF THE DIFFERENT LABELS IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT ON SAID BOTTLE. 